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Friday, March 17, 2017

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government's top lawyer, Solicitor General Jose Calida, offered help to impeach Vice President Leni Robredo after she criticized President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs in a message to the United Nations (UN).

Calida on Saturday, March 18, referred to Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez's threat to file an impeachment complaint against Robredo.

"In the event that @speakeralvarez will initiate the impeachment of the VP, my office will gladly lend its services to such endeavor," Calida said in a tweet using his Twitter account, @SolGenCalida.

In the event that @speakeralvarez will initiate the impeachment of the VP, my office will gladly lend its legal services to such endeavor.

Calida said that Robredo "should be rightfully condemned for slandering and selling out our country and our leaders before the UN."

"VP Robredo debased her office and herself by betraying the trust of our people. The carping VP has joined the ranks of the destabilizers," he said.

On Saturday, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella also said: "Speaker Alvarez's call to impeach the Vice President is within his purview; the evaluation of the possible grounds for impeachment and the decision to file the complaint are the prerogative of the House of Representatives."

Alvarez threatened to file an impeachment complaint against Robredo a day after a similar complaint was filed against Duterte.

Alvarez claimed there might be basis to impeach Robredo after she said in a video message to the UN that Filipinos now feel "hopeless and helpless," as Duterte wages a bloody war on drugs.

Robredo in her message did not criticize the Philippines, but the war on drugs that has resulted in extrajudicial killings. Robredo's spokesperson, Georgina Hernandez, said the Vice President merely stated facts in her speech. – Rappler.com